<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Learning to Relax by ansutatrash</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27107260">Learning to Relax</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ansutatrash/pseuds/ansutatrash'>ansutatrash</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Confession, F/M, Fluff, MadaAn, light angst?</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 16:21:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,805</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27107260</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ansutatrash/pseuds/ansutatrash</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Madara needs a break. Anzu understands and is there to help.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anzu/Mikejima Madara</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Learning to Relax</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Madara curses internally at himself as he misses another step in the choreography routine for =EYE=, stopping as Anzu pauses the music. Kohaku looks at him in annoyance, and honestly, he can’t blame the younger boy for doing so. It was definitely not the first time he had messed up the routine today, and he would be frustrated too if he were in Kohaku’s shoes.<br/>	“Maybe we should take a break for today.” Anzu says, picking up two towels that were folded up beside her and going over to Kohaku first. Kohaku wordlessly takes the towel, giving Madara another glare before rubbing his face and hair quite violently. Madara gives him a pained smile before turning his attention to Anzu who was now in front of him, waiting for him to take the towel.<br/>	“I’m sorry Kohaku-san~. It seems like Mama just isn’t doing well today.” He says apologetically. His hands are shaking as he takes the towel, but he tries to hide it as he rubs at his hair, making it look more and more like a bird’s nest than it already had from the hours of practice they had just gone through.<br/>	Kohaku scoffs. “You haven’t been doing well since the beginning, Madara-han. You really do suck at working with other people, it seems.” He says, not sparing him another glance as he goes to pick up his water bottle. Madara winces, but Kohaku had a point. He really was bad at working with other people for an extended period of time when it came to idol work. He was a solo unit after all. Or was, anyways.<br/>	“I really am sorry, Kohaku-san! Mama will try harder so can we go through it a few more times?” he asks, trying to keep a smile on his face. Truth be told, he was exhausted. Stressed too, but usually he never felt this fatigued. He was used to working so much harder than this, so why was this particular activity so draining for him?<br/>	Kohaku gives him a look. “I would rather we didn’t, Madara-han. You may be a monster when it comes to physical activity, but I certainly am not. I’m tired, and I have a few other things I need to do before today is over. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He replies. He bows to Anzu before walking out of the room, leaving the other two with an awkward silence between them.<br/>	Madara sighs, sitting down on the floor. He leaves the towel he was using on his head, rubbing at his face with his hands before looking up at Anzu who was watching him with a concerned gaze. “I’ll be fine, Anzu-san! You can go ahead and leave if you’re busy. I’m going to stay here and try to nail the choreo before I leave.” He says, giving her as much of a smile as he can muster. <br/>	Anzu shakes her head, coming over to his side and offering him a sports drink. “You’ve been working hard all afternoon and evening. I think you need to take a break.” She says, sounding like she won’t take no for an answer. <br/>	Madara stays quiet. He did feel like he needed to take a break, but he also had no idea what he could do if he wasn’t going to practice more. He was the one dragging down Double Face, and no matter how many excuses he threw at himself, he knew that he had to do something about it.<br/>	He looks up in surprise when Anzu puts her hands over the towel still resting on his head, rubbing gently. He makes a verbal sound of confusion, and Anzu pauses to look at him in the eye rather than at his hair. “Just relax.” She says, then goes back to rubbing his hair to dry it for him.<br/>	Relax? Madara wants to laugh but the sound gets stuck in his throat. Him? Relax? That was… something he had not done in quite awhile. He wasn’t even sure if he knew how to relax anymore. He was so used to keeping himself busy now after all. “…..” He bows his head, letting Anzu continue. Her movements were gentle, and he focused on the feeling, closing his eyes. <br/>	Anzu smiled as she felt the older boy’s body growing less tense. She had noticed that Madara was not in his best condition, and that even his smile was strained since earlier in the day. She felt for him in a way, since she also felt very antsy when she had nothing to do, but perhaps that was why she knew what he needed most. A rest.<br/>	The two sat in silence for a few minutes, and when Anzu is finally satisfied with drying Madara’s hair, she removes the towel from Madara’s head and puts it around his shoulders instead. “Drink.” She says simply, pointing to the sports drink he still held in his hand.<br/>	Madara opens his eyes. Ah, he had forgotten about the drink. He opens it, taking in a few mouthfuls before letting himself catch a breath, setting the now half-empty bottle down beside him. He turns his head towards Anzu, wanting to thank her, but instead felt his head being pushed down towards the ground.<br/>	“!!!” Madara braces himself, ready for his head to hit the wooden floor of the practice room, but instead feels something soft cushioning his fall. He opens his eyes to see Anzu’s face above his, and it takes him a few seconds to realize that his head is now resting in her lap. His cheeks flush and he looks up at Anzu questioningly. “What-“ he starts to say, but Anzu cuts him off.<br/>	“Shh. I said relax, remember?” Anzu says, pulling the rubber band that was holding his ponytail out and threading her fingers carefully through the mess of his hair, combing out the tangles. <br/>	Madara wanted to speak, to tell her that he was okay, to say that she could go since he knew she was a busy producer, but… He couldn’t deny anymore that he needed this. He needed someone to help him relax, someone to watch over him to make sure he didn’t push himself again as soon as he was left alone, someone to stay with him quietly and just be there.<br/>	“…. This isn’t fair, Anzu-san. I’m supposed to be the mama here, you know~?” he says, trying to sound cheerful. Anzu makes a face at him, and he cracks a small but genuine smile, the first one he had smiled all day.<br/>	“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Anzu retorts, continuing to comb his hair with her fingers, undoing the braids that held his ponytail together. “You can get up if you want to, but if you don’t move, I’ll take it as a sign that you want me to stay. Also, I finished everything I needed to do today, so don’t worry about disturbing my work. I can stay here as long as you need.” She adds.<br/>	Madara feels something squeeze in his chest. Anzu really wasn’t fair sometimes. Why did she always push him away when he tried to care for her, yet he couldn’t do the same when the opposite happened? “… What if I end up staying here all night then? What will you do then?” he asks, his voice teasing but with a hint of genuine curiosity.<br/>	Anzu pouts at him. “If that’s the case, I guess I’ll have to stay here all night too. But you wouldn’t do that to me, I know it.” She replies.<br/>	Madara chuckles at that. Anzu knew him well. “Mmm, you’re right. Just 10 more minutes then. I think I’ll be alright after that.” He says, turning his head to face Anzu’s stomach as he nestles closer to her. He expected her to slap his head or something at that, since Anzu usually hated it when he tried to invade her personal space like this, but he was surprised when instead of hitting him or rolling him off of her lap, she caresses his cheek. He feels his ears heating up and he turns his head once more to look up at Anzu’s face.<br/>	Anzu is smiling down at him with a look so warm that Madara feels as though he might melt away. He feels his chest tighten again and he averts his gaze. “… Anzu-san…. That’s really unfair…” he mumbles again. <br/>	“What’s unfair?” Anzu replies, continuing to run her fingers through Madara’s hair even though all of the tangles are out by now.<br/>	“Looking at me like that… There’s no way I wouldn’t fall for you if you look at me with those eyes.” Ah, his tongue had slipped. He hadn’t meant to confess, especially not like this. He felt Anzu’s hand stop moving and instantly regretted. He should have kept quiet. <br/>	A few moments pass in silence, and Madara finally has the guts to look up at Anzu’s face again. He blinks in surprise when he notices that she’s significantly redder than usual. As soon as they lock eyes, Anzu turns her head, embarrassed. “… Stupid. You shouldn’t be saying things like that. Especially not to your producer.” She replies. Her hand moves, and Madara feels Anzu’s fingers brushing over his own, contradicting the words she had just spoken.<br/>	Madara feels his eyes sting. He was smiling like an absolutely idiot, but at this point, he didn’t care anymore. His fingers hook around Anzu’s and he pulls her hand over to his face, pressing his cheek against it. “… I’m sorry, let me try again. I love you, Anzu-san... I really do.” He says, turning his head to press a gentle kiss against her knuckles.<br/>	Anzu’s face turns an even more vivid shade of tomato and she does slap his cheek gently this time. “… Focus on Double Face first.” She says, and Madara can see her trying to keep her composure.<br/>	Madara’s laughter rings around the room, a pure sound that he had thought he had lost. It wasn’t his usual booming laughter, but something softer, full of emotion. He sits up, wrapping his arms around Anzu’s shoulders before she can say anything. He buries his face in her shoulder, mumbling a soft “Okay… And thank you.” That is mostly muffled thanks to him speaking with his face pressed against Anzu’s shirt.<br/>	Anzu’s arms hesitantly wrap around him, one hand gently rubbing his back. “Yeah… No problem.” She says, smiling slightly. She had a feeling Madara would be alright now, and even if he continued to struggle with group work, she would be there to support him. She had yet to respond to the older male’s confession, but the both of them knew that there was no rush. They both had important things to do, and they could take everything one step at a time.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Back with some more MadaAn because I love them</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>